Tomorrow begins a big weekend in Tuscaloosa! Bama football returns for homecoming, Druid City Pride weekend runs through Sunday, and the Children’s Hands-On Museum always has something fun for the kids. The entertainment district will be in effect in Downtown Tuscaloosa again this weekend, so take the opportunity to get out, grab a drink, and explore Tuscaloosa’s unique downtown area and events.

On Friday night downtown Tuscaloosa will be buzzing with excitement and activity. In addition to the area being an entertainment district from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Druid City Pride will host a block party from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m on 22nd Avenue between Alcove and Grace Aberdeen. Druid City Pride is a local organization dedicated to celebrating, serving, and supporting the LGBTQ+ community in Tuscaloosa. Great drinks from Alcove and Monarch, cornhole, and live music by incredible blues musician Janelle Frost will give you and your friends a fun place to unwind and kick off a great Pride weekend in Tuscaloosa. Come out and enjoy a good time!

The Crimson Tide returns home under the lights of Bryant-Denny this Saturday night to battle divisional foe Arkansas for homecoming. Alabama will kick off at 6:15 as a whopping 30.5-point favorite and will be looking to Coach Saban and the fans to make sure they haven’t been affected by the “rat poison” that comes along with beating SEC teams 66-3. If you haven’t purchased a ticket yet, don’t worry. There are still some tickets left on rolltide.com. There are several special homecoming activities happening this weekend, such as a step show on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. and parade on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Get out and enjoy the best gameday experience in all of college football.

The Children’s Hands-On Museum always has fun events for the kids, and this weekend is no exception. On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. things will get spooky as Halloween takes over for the Goblin Gala. Kids will enjoy treats, activities, and games in a fun Halloween setting. The Children’s Hands-On Museum is always providing fun things for kids to do in the One and Only Tuscaloosa. Stop by before the homecoming game on Saturday and get into the Halloween spirit.

Join Band Of Brothers Brewing Sunday, October 15th for Trucks By The Tracks with your favorite local food trucks. Band of Brothers is hosting Pastor’s Kitchen, Simple Southern Cuisine, Get MIX’D, Lolly’s Sugar Shack and more. This event is your chance to experience great beer, live music, and good company. What could be better? The brewery opens at 1:00 p.m. with food trucks arriving at 1:30. Live music performed by the Tarred and Feathered Band will begin at 2:00. It’s going to be a large time!

The Alabama Crimson Tide soccer team is in town on Sunday afternoon taking on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at 5 p.m. Both teams are coming off of loses and will be fighting hard to get their schedule back on track. The Crimson Tide’s record is 9-6-1 and the Bulldogs are 7-3-3. Sporting events at The University of Alabama are always a good time. As always, admission is free so it is a great event to take the whole family to.

 

We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events below, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements.

Contributors: Danny Owen & Rachel Horton

Dressing up for gameday is a tradition in Tuscaloosa. Some people get more dressed up for the Crimson Tide than they do for church on Sunday. Saturdays in the fall are basically a fashion show, and the quad is the catwalk. There are thousands of variations of crimson, white, and houndstooth outfits on display during football season. Here’s a selection of stores in Tuscaloosa that offer Instagram-worthy outfits for gameday.

 

Midtown Village

This massive shopping center is home to more than 20 different clothing and shoe stores that offer a wide variety of styles. You won’t leave Midtown without finding at least one outfit, or maybe just a cute pair of shoes. Az Well, Bevello, Francesca’s, Lavish, and Soca are a few favorites of the ladies. There are several options for men as well, such as Alumni Hall, Kinnucan’s, and the Nike Factory Store. Each of these stores and boutiques can hook you up with the perfect outfit to show off in Bryant-Denny.

 

Downtown Tuscaloosa

Downtown Tuscaloosa is the perfect clothing destination because it is in walking distance of the stadium. So if you’ve waited until the last minute to look for an outfit (*cough* Men *cough*) then don’t worry because you can just snag an outfit on your way to the game. Effie’s and Lucca have super cute outfits for women, while the Pant’s Store and The Shirt Shoppe have great gameday options for both men and women. Any of these stores would be glad to help you find what you need to cheer on the Tide and bring in the Instagram likes.

 

The Strip

The Strip has several great places to find gameday outfits, but you might want to get there early. The Strip attracts thousands of people on Alabama Crimson Tide gamedays so naturally, the stores are filled to capacity. Ellie Crimson, Expeditions, and Alabama Express are several popular options to find outfits that will make you stand out of the crowd. So, although they are convenient you might want to visit those shops ahead of time because you don’t want to miss out on all the great clothing options they have. Your social media accounts will thank you.

 

Written by Rachel Horton

Buckle up for another exciting weekend in Tuscaloosa! The entertainment kicks off with local favorite, CBDB, returning back for a homecoming party. These purveyors of joyfunk got the wheels turning in Tuscaloosa and will be playing at Druid City Music Hall on Friday night. In case you were unaware or in need of something to do on Saturday, football is back in Tuscaloosa! The Alabama Crimson Tide is taking on the Ole Miss Rebels Saturday night, hoping to improve to 5-0 for the second consecutive season. If your weekly dose of Bama football isn’t enough, Alabama volleyball takes on Missouri Sunday to conclude this weekend’s festivities.

 
Want to start the weekend on a high note? Look no further than Druid City Music Hall on Friday night as CBDB brings their progressive rock sound to where it all began, right here in Tuscaloosa! CBDB has shared the stage with a variety of acts including Blues Traveler, Tim Reynolds, Umphrey’s McGee, Moon Taxi, The Revivalists, among many others. The band, consisting of Cy Simonton, Kris Gottlieb, Glenn Dillard, Paul Oliver, and Mike Sinopole, has been touring all over the country and will assuredly bring the heat to a hometown show. Joining them is special guest Tesheva who will start the tunes at 9:00 pm. Doors open at 7:30 pm and tickets can be purchased online as well as at the box office.

 
Alabama returns to action under the lights of Bryant-Denny as they go up against the Rebels of Ole Miss. This highly anticipated matchup is sure to bring some excitement as Alabama continues to roll through the schedule. Ole Miss enters the contest off of a bye week at 2-1 with victories over South Alabama and Tennessee-Martin, while the Crimson Tide is coming off a walloping 59-0 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville. You can also enjoy events like the Elephant Stomp, the Walk of Champions, and check out the Bryant Museum or grab a “Yellowhammer” at Gallettes while you’re in town for the game! Kickoff is set for 8:00 pm so be sure to pace yourself throughout the day. Alabama enters the matchup as a 28 point favorite.

 
Saturday also has events for the kids! A great way to get out of the sun is by taking your young ones to the Children’s Hands-On Museum for the Kid’s Tailgate Party. The event lasts from 10 am – 4 pm and allows children to participate in activities such as creating a mascot mask and decorating a spirit cookie. This is the perfect opportunity to make gamedays fun for the entire family!
Conclude the weekend by witnessing high caliber volleyball as Alabama takes on Missouri at 1:00 pm at Foster Auditorium. Alabama (12-4) enters the contest after a thrilling win against Arkansas on Wednesday night. The action starts at 1:00, but make sure to arrive early to grab a bite to eat from the concession stand or snag a picture with Big Al!

 

We have a ton going on throughout the fall months and are excited about the upcoming holiday season. Give us a follow on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and future events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!

 

Written by Will Wyatt

We’re gearing up for another great weekend in Tuscaloosa! Start your weekend early tonight across the river at Kentuck Art Center! Kentuck is hosting their monthly Art Night! This month will feature the opening reception of “The Seven Deadly Sins” and artist talk with fiber artist Yvonne Wells in the Museum Gallery! You can lose yourself to dance as a band plays throughout the night, eat a cob oven pizza, and then top it off by learning more about Charlie Lucas as he discusses his art and answer questions!

It wouldn’t be a complete weekend in Tuscaloosa without a great artist coming through town! Clint Black will be performing at the Bama Theatre Friday night! You can enjoy a rare, intimate evening with the man who has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. Raised in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, Clint Black is the youngest of four brothers. He began performing with brother, Kevin at the family’s backyard barbecues. After high school, he worked construction for a year and spent 10 years on the local nightclub circuit. He auditioned for a Nashville recording contract in 1988 and has been playing nationally ever since!

Crimson Tide football is back in Tuscaloosa this Saturday as Alabama takes on Fresno State! After a big win in Atlanta against Florida State, Alabama will be looking for a tune up before getting into SEC play. Alabama football, which was inaugurated in 1892, ranks as one of 10 winningest programs in US history and they don’t plan on changing that anytime soon. You can also enjoy events like the Elephant Stomp, the Walk of Champions, and check out the Bryant Museum or grab a drink at Gallettes while you’re in town for the game!

Finish your weekend off at the 5th Street Vintage Market! 5th Street Vintage Market is now held four times a year, rain or shine.  Markets are Sundays, 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free and concessions are available on site. Curated by This Ol’ Thing Vintage, Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy, and DJ Tom Kat Kitten, 5th Street Vintage Market brings a one of a kind shopping experience to the area. We will feature many dealers from the region who specialize in vintage and handmade items, artworks and vinyl records! Prices for market goods can range from a few dollars to several hundred. While some vendors can accept credit cards, most require cash payments.

We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!

It is the heart of our one and only Tuscaloosa, visible from almost everywhere in town and the center of sports and fun: The University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium! Home of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, it turns into the ultimate hotspot in town during football season. It doesn’t stop there, as it is a special location year-round! We’re going to show you why and take you on the behind the scenes tour through Bryant-Denny Stadium!

For somebody who has never been to the stadium, even standing in front of it is mind blowing: The walls rise so high, you can’t seem to wrap your mind around this massive building! It was named after UA’s former president George H. Denny and longtime coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Entering the stadium at the south end zone, the first stop of the tour is the Donor Hall of Recognition, which is located right above the entrance. Here you can see all the generous donors that supported the UA Athletics Department with donations of one million dollars or more on beautiful portraits! The Crimson Tide Foundation itself gives away $16 Million of athletics scholarships every year, supporting young people in sports like football, baseball, soccer, golf, tennis, rowing and much more!

Next, on the tour you walk around the field on an upper level, getting a first glimpse on the field and the breathtaking view of Tuscaloosa from above the treetops!
While on the upper level, we learned some interesting facts such as Bryant-Denny-Stadium was opened in 1929 and meanwhile has a capacity of 101,821 seats – which makes it the 8th largest stadium in the world! Also, during a game day, the stadium puts out 10,000 gallons of fountain drinks and 18.000 bottles of water to go with the concessions, leading to a total of 1 ton of trash!

Up next is the press-room: Here you can see the seats for the reporters behind a giant glass pane with a perfect view of the field and you even can take a seat on the commentator’s chairs! Located right next to it is the Presidential Box: An incredibly lavish lounge with seats for 200 of the UA president’s closest friends. On the other side of the ranks, you can see another row of windows that contains the 159 Sky Boxes: Private lounges with up to 75 seats that can be rented – for the trifle of a $500,000 donation to get your name on the ten years long waiting list! You better hurry up to make your reservation!

In the maze of the inside of the stadium, the tour shows you The Zone, located right above the north end zone with a view on the Walk of Champions. Members can access that beautiful hall during games and it can also be rented for events, even for wedding receptions! Say I do and Roll Tide!

Then the tour finally enters the holy halls: The Crimson Tide’s locker room!

Standing in the huge room with the noble wooden lockers and leather stools, you can literally feel the Tide’s spirit!

Doing it like the players, you have to rub the nose of the Paul Bryant plaque and hit “WIN” above the doors before leaving the locker room for good luck! Then your way leads through the famous tunnel straight onto the field! You feel so incredibly small standing at that gateway, even without a hundred thousand fans cheering for you! And have you ever realized how gigantic the field goal is? You sure will do when you stand right underneath it!

Walking around the field, you can take pictures that are memories for eternity. Side fact: It takes 120 hours of work and 500 cans of dye to paint the lines and signs on the field! Right across the Crimson Tide’s tunnel and locker, you can enter the one of the most iconic locations in the stadium: The Fail Room – which is nothing else than the locker room for the visiting teams. You can’t miss the obvious differences to the Tide’s locker room. But still, Alabama has one of the nicer, almost luxurious visitor locker rooms with stools and white walls – compared to Iowa, who for example painted theirs bright pink because of scientific proof that staring at it induced bad headaches.

And with that fun fact, the amazing tour comes to its end and leaves you feeling like a champion! Roll Tide!

Written By: Katharina Horvath – Intern